>>No, JR, even the numbers themselves credit the direct patient care as high. What this boils down to, is what is meant by "quality health care". Some of the metrics here get into outreach and you are talking an entire different (and certainly important) ball game.

You're making this stuff up. First, the meaning of "quality" is not at issue. Second, quality according to classical definition also needs to be compared to outcomes, just as it does in development. The work you do may be of glowing quality but still needs to deliver a good outcome for the customer. Otherwise you risk logic along the lines of "the operation was a great success but the patient died." So how does the US stack up in outcomes?

>>Analysis 101 teaches us to look into what metrics are used for the indicator. If the question is one of people affording it, I'll grant that's been an issue.

Analysis 101 says that affordability clearly is separated from quality in these numbers.

>>Though as I stated in a prior post, that 47 million number is a pure B.S. number that factors in illegal immigrants, job-transients, young people who elect not to get it, and people who qualify for other govt programs but (for whatever reason) chose not to follow up. It's also very questionable to compare countries - many places in Europe have tax collection rates that exceed anything that's going to be tolerated here in the U.S.

You're referring to Access that is separate from the calculation of quality. Also, cost of care is very carefully calculated and the US is most expensive, period. Taxes have nothing to do with it.

>>I'm not standing here saying, "U.S. is the best, rah rah rah"....believe me, of all the industries where I'd love to see some good targeted legislation slapped, it's health insurance companies. But what I am saying is that I find the metrics behind these indicators to be quite specious. And really, you should as well.

Yes I might know more about this than can be gleaned from a lay media article or two- but as always, the more you know, the more you realize you don't know.